Scleral brace



Nov. 20, 1962 J. H. DIXON SCLERAL BRACE Filed Dec. 15, 1960 INVENTORJAMES H D/xa/v QM E BY ATTORNEYS I ite Sits 3,064,643 SCLIJRAL BRACEJames H. Dixon, Woodrulf, S.C. Filed Dec. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 75,543 4Claims. ((11. 128-765) This invention is a novel scleral braceconsisting of a thin, circular annulus of varying shape, size, or curveto be placed on the outside of the eyeball underneath the eyelid, therebeing a hole at the inner or anterior part of the device that coversonly a small portion, or none, of the cornea. The brace may be made as acomplete annulus, or a portion of the annulus may be omitted, and thebrace may be made of plastic or other material which would accomplishthe purpose for which it is intended and be compatible with the tissuesof the eye.

One object of the invention is to provide a brace which is designed toinduce changes in the power of the eye, by exerting pressure at certainpoints in the general area known as the corneo-scleral junction, andalso by relieving pressure between the eyeball and the eyelid in thegeneral area of the cornco-scleral junction. The pressure exerted by thebrace will be toward the interior of the eye, or toward the exterior ofthe eye in all meridians or particular meridians.

The basic concept of the brace is to induce changes in the curvature ofthe cornea and/ or to change the curvature of the posterior and/oranterior surfaces of the rystalline lens. The basic concept of the braceis to further prevent or retard changes from taking place in the abovementioned surfaces. The basic concept of the brace, further, is torelieve symptoms of discomfort associated with undesirable curvatures ofthe above mentioned surfaces, with or without inducing changes incurvature of the above mentioned surfaces.

The inner and outer (anterior and posterior respectively) edges of thedevice may be spherical, oval or any other shape, and both are notnecessarily the same. The shape used will be that which would best fitthe eye and accomplish the purposes for which it was intended.

The pressure exerted away from the interior of the eye is accomplishedby holding the lid and the eye apart and also by capillary attractionbetween the eye and the brace.

The pressure exerted toward the interior of the eye is accomplished bydirect pressure of the brace upon the eye, and also by reducing thewidth of the brace in certain meridians so that the lid can exert itsusual pressure.

Pressure may be exerted in any or all meridians by (l) varying the widthof the brace in different meridians; (2) making the inner surface of thebrace parallel or bent toward or away from the eye at certain areas; (3)increasing or decreasing the thickness of the brace in certain areas;(4) changing the shape of the outer and inner edges of the brace; and(5) making an incomplete annulus of the brace. The outside surface mayor may not have the same curvature as the inside surface, to achieve thebest working relationship with the lids.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates several practical embodiments thereof, to enableothers familiar with the art to adopt and use the same, and willsummarize in the claims the novel features of construction for whichprotection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view of one form of brace associated with an eyeball forexerting pressure toward the interior of the eye.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the brace shown in FIG. 1, detached.

Patented Nov. 20, 1962 FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the brace shown inFIG. 1, detached.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a modification of the brace for exertingpressure away from the interior of the eye associated with an eyeball.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the brace shown in FIG. 4, detached.

IG. 6 is a side elevation of the brace shown in FIG. 4, detached.

FIG. 7 is a plan view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5 of a further modifiedbrace coextensive with only a portion of the annulus shown in FIGS. 2and 5.

in FIGS. 1 and 4, an eyeball is illustrated, the same having a cornea Cand a sclera S, indicating at J the corneo-scleral junction of theeyeball. My brace consists of a thin circular annulus 1 of varyingshape, size and curvature to be placed on the outside of the eyeballunderneath the eyelids, the same having an opening at the inner oranterior part of the brace that covers only a small portion, or none, ofthe cornea C.

In the brace shown in FIG. 1, themember 1 is of annular shape, larger atits posterior end to suit the diameter of the eyeball sclera S, and isof smaller diameter at the anterior end and conforms with the shape andsize of the corneo-scleral junction J. The brace is formed of plastic orother moldable material which will accomplish the purpose for which itis intended while being compatible with the tissues of the eye. Thebrace is fitted on the eyeball itself under the eyelids, and the plasticwould be of any desired or appropriate material commonly used inapplication to sensitive areas of the human body.

In F168. 1, 2 and 3, the brace is intended to exert pres sure toward theinterior of the eyeball, and for this purpose brace annulus 1 isprovided with a concave arcuate portion 1a adjacent its anterior end,the same terminating at the corneo-scleral junction J, and the portionin as shown being formed to an arc of circle centered at the point Pwhich is disposed on a line Q which bisects the arcuate portion 1a, thepoint P lying beyond the outer surface of the brace 1 as clearly shown,so that when the brace is disposed on the eyeball under the eyelid,pressure will be exerted on the eyeball by direct pressure of thearcuate portion 1a upon the sclera S. However, the direct pressure uponthe eye may be accomplished by r ucing the width of the brace in certainmeridians so that the eyelid can exert its usual pressure. Pressure maybe exerted in any or all meridians by varying the width of the brace indifferent meridians, or by making the inner surface of the braceparallel or bent away or towards the eye at certain areas, or byincreasing or decreasing the thickness of the brace in certain areas, orby changing the shape of the outer and inner edges of the brace, or bymaking an incomplete annulus of the brace. Furthermore, the outside ofthe surface of the brace may or may not have the same curvature as theinside surface, to achieve the best working relationship with the lid.

In FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 a modified form is shown in which the brace 19 isprovided adjacent the corneo-scleral junction I with a convex portion10x terminating at the anterior end of the brace, the convex portion 10xconforming with an arc of a circle centered at point R disposed on aline T which bisects the convex portion 10x, the point R being disposedinside the outer surface of the brace, as clearly shown, so that theconvex portion 10x will exert pressure on the eyelid away from theinterior of the eye, and will hold the lid and the eye apart.

In FIG. 7 is shown a modified brace which includes only a portion of theannulus shown in FIGS. 2 or 5, the same extending less than 360, leavinga gap between the opposite ends of the brace; otherwise the brace wouldbe similar in all respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

but could of course if desired be similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 andS.

In each of the modifications the brace terminates about thecorneo-scleral junction 1 and the value of the brace resides in thepressure that is exerted at this point by the particular indentations orraised surfaces of the brace at junction J. The brace will not cover thecornea C itself, except possibly in some modifications where forstrength or desired pressure, clear plastic might cover the cornea forthese purposes only.

The brace is designed to induce changes in the power of the eye byexerting pressure at certain points in the general area known as thecornea-scleral junction I, and also by relieving pressure between theeye and the eyelids in the general area of the corneo-scleral junction.Thepressure exerted by the device will be toward the interior of theeye, or toward the exterior of the eye in all meridians or particularmeridians.

The brace is designed to induce changes in the curvature of the cornea Cand/or to change the curvature of the posterior and/or anterior surfacesof the crystalline lens; further to prevent or retard changes fromtaking place in the above mentioned surfaces; further to relievesymptoms of-discomfolt associated with undesirable curvatures of theabove mentioned surfaces, with or without inducing changes in curvatureof the above mentioned Pressure may be exerted in any or all meridiansby (1) varying the width of the brace in different meridians;

(2) making the inner surface of the brace parallel or bent toward oraway from the eye at certain areas; (3) increasing or decreasing thethickness of the brace in certain areas; (4) changing the shape of theouter and inner edges of the brace; and (5) making an incomplete annulusof the brace.

The outside surface may or may not have the same curvature as the insidesurface to achieve the best working relationship with the lids.

I do not limit my invention to the exact forms shown in the drawing, forobviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A scleral brace of material compatible with the tissues of the eyefor insertion between the eyeball and eyelid, consisting of an annulusof diameter to suit that of the eyeball sclera, the anterior portion ofthe annulus terminating substantially at the corneo-scleral junction ofthe eyeball; and means on the annulus for controlling the pressureexerted by the annulus on the eyeball adjacent the corneo-scleraljunction. 7

2. In a brace as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising a concaveportion in the annulus extending towards the eyeball sclera in the areaadjacent the corneoscleral junction.

3. In a brace as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising a convexportion in the annulus extending away from the eyeball sclera in thearea adjacent the corneoscleral junction.

4. In a brace as set forth in claim 1, said means com prising theomission of a portion of the annulus in certain meridians.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,654,888 King Jan. 3, 192.8

